A slow ball in cricket is just what it means. Attributed to pace bowlers, it is a variation wherein the ball’s pace is significantly reduced compared to the bowler’s usual pace.
A slow ball is opted by a pace bowler to disrupt the batter’s rhythm. Though it can be bowled at any point in game, a tactical move would be to bowl two or three quicker deliveries before bowling the slow ball. The ball is released from the bowler’s hand a bit late compared to his or her usual release position. Moreover, the late release gives the batters a relatively lesser time to adjust to the change in pace.
There are many ways to bowl a slow ball. The most common method is to bowl an off-cutter or leg-cutter. It is done by using the thumb to rotate the ball which adds spin on it. After pitching, the ball slightly spins with a reduced pace. Another method is the split seam method where the index and middle fingers are placed such that the seam passes between the two fingers. The release of the ball is conventional and the reduced pace is due to the grip pattern on the ball.
Some more difficult techniques of bowling the slower ball are the knuckle ball and the back-of-the-hand delivery. The knuckle ball requires immense skill and can take time to master. A bowler’s hands have to be big enough to grip the ball with their fingernails flat against the seam. There is minimal grip on the ball. When released, the knuckle ball traverses slowly through the air and dips after pitching.
The back-of-the-hand delivery is one where the bowler’s arm at the time of release flips 180 degrees. In other words, this is a type of delivery where the batter is unable to see the bowler’s palm. Thus, a major drawback of this delivery is that it can be read by the batter more quickly than other methods of delivering a slow ball. Another variant of this is called the palm ball, where the release of the ball is propelled by the palm. Like the back-of-the-hand ball, this too does not disguise the slower ball.
When a batter miscues a slow ball it results in caught out or bowled dismissals. The slow ball is most useful when the playing ground is bigger. A slow ball does not give any added pace to the batter. Thus, batters have to use their brute force to send a slow ball to the boundary. This often results in caught out dismissals near the boundary.
Apart from the techniques mentioned above, bowlers can deliver a slow ball based on their convenience. They can use the natural seam position and simply thrust the ball more lightly than their usual force. At times they might have only one finger on the seam. In some other instances, the bowlers grip the ball more firmly before releasing that results in the ball delivered slowly. Irrespective of the technique, a slow ball’s efficiency is heavily dependent on how the bowler is able to disguise the ball’s seam before releasing it.
